Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-03-05

VASHlNdION, -. Us !
Our Bric-a-Bfac Club.
Vnom Hsrper,s Baxsr
It was SO evidently tho outgrowth, or rather
resurrection, OF the delightful forget.
ten China-nunters' club of some half-d0 WIN
tiers ago that the name we assumed at once sug.
gested ITSELF although the collection was neither
trail Sevres nor heavy Clewes, but bright IDEAS
that the clever quick members could either
gather or invent for the evenings entertainment:
houses, taking them not by suggesting nor voting,
but in alphabetical order, and found the plan
9s BEING Of Gl
appointed TO arrange programme, ana also See
that everything was In good working order.
conee generally being one Of them, and this rule
was most ngidly enforced; there was little tempta-
lion TO break 1t, for the small amount OF trouble
ciated that few cared to make new departure:
Then the amusing games and general racinesS OF
In eiTst Ho
OF our grandmothers, and none too early for an
evening as full OF fun and merr1ment as ours
always were. There were neither fines nor initia.
ZION IeeS imposed upon us, to be wrangled over al
the end OF the season, and we were really regret
iuI Wnen the short, warm evenings OF "Merr1e
The donkey was always received with rounds Of
applause, and his muttlated figure took part so fire
quently In our games that it was almost needful
the party sketched him for us on coarse, heavy
paper, for convenience In cutting out, and also be.
cause eau TINS paper served for back to strengthen
tne auoience. You can scarcely err on the SIDE O
having him too large: we did on the other; and Il
DONKEY We R vi him to
inc one we at last accepted measured hve feet
d IN mead to tail, and we made him as ridiculous
as POSSIBLE. AS partial as we were to him, even
the most devoted were forced to admit he had q
Vicious ugly look for his legs were evidently raised
a omoa KICK and his mouth had decided appear,
ance OF braytng; more than this, he was minus q
tall, which was to be used as q pattern-cutttng
one for each member Of the club and marking
Sometimes it was an initial outlined in bright col.
or fiannelEthe ace OF hearts, diamonds, etc, an
Of those almost Invisible oneS Sn or a large s
TOP OF each tai. It. Y not worth while to have
1or the animal itself will stretch out OF shape In
cutting and arranging ii not thus strengthened.
rasIe tne donkey on piece OF heavy white muslin
cut long enough to extend some distance beyond
at top, bottom and sides. Where there are large
folding doors thumb-tacks can be used to fasten
will also answer and so VIII large clothes horse,
which, II not high enough can be put on a sofa to
raise It: One Of the club should after distributing
poor mutllated animal, whose deficiency is now to
De supplied by each one blindfOlded in turn,
recten Of tSe taIee ana started IN the d
quite SO sure Of success, often provoke less OF
laughter than the over-confdent, who are so Ger
find they are nowhere near the mark. ~ ,---
Bean bags require as many bags as there are
persons engaged IN the merry game. The prettiest
the cOl0rs equally divided. Make them i've or SIX
inches square, alike on both sides and I'LL with
small Deans which can be had very cheaply.
choose TWO captains-a gentleman and a lady
ana arranging the company in two parallel rows
facing each other, and about 1ve feet apart place
sne CAPTAINS at the head There should be two
leaders holding the bean bags all the reds on the
one one Dy the captain OF that color and the pinks
the bags are taken up one at time, and passing
from one to another down the line, are deposited
on me tables at the other end, then taken up as
passed to the starting table. The first side out
are the winners.
Both these games, especially the latter. are en-
nanced 0y prizes: a box OF tiny chocolate cigars,
a pair OF the small opera glasses used as charms,
q little tin horn wrapped and rewrapped until il
assumes quite formidable ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
provoking will answer.
Tampate, or vis-a-vis, gives q very pretty
elect when Ion, a Iong roomful is in the constant
place four persons in line and facing the Other
enc enc OF tne room then opposite, and about three
four facing the first line; this brings the backs
OF the second line turned to the further
Of the The third line Of
those in the second row, having the space between
them and their opposite neighbors OF the fourth
We spent whole evening trying to untangle the
odd line that would every now and then be out OF
gear. 1t came up in the most unexpected places,
ravel the mystery. This game requires music:
that used for any cotillon Will answer. The two
lines lines opposite advance, back Jack, advance again,
ae 9 and passing Through meet the
figures over, until, after dancing to each advanc-
ing line, the end OF the room is reached. Turn
around, and taking each line as it comes down,
the same figures are repeated until you turn at
ton 81 the lines, with the many Who can engage
In It, make 1t not only pretty, but one enjoyed by
another motif for prizes. Twenty short and rather
familiar ones should be selected and written be-
forehand, then given out by one OF the entertain
paper with the authors names, numbered to cor
respond with the quotation Sheet the latter keep
Ing count of the correct guesses made by each one
lowest the BOBBY. 1t is amazing how few can be
guessed at moments warning. "ManS 1nhuman-
ity 70 man" etc, has been confidently located in
Cowpers "Task, while another very warmly de-
clared it to be In one Of Shakespeares plays,
neither being correct. Very few are aware that
escaped by the skin Of the teeth comes from the
Bible, and some OF the widest guessing brings to
mind the story of the old preacher who, when
quoting
1.-THE quality of mercy is not strained"
remarked that st. Paul was better able than most
men to judge.
The game OF mummy" babe fair to rival the
donkey in popularity. Divide the company into
two or three parties, according to number sending
one division into an adjoining room, where they
should be arranged in a semicircle, the larger
ones on the lower chairs, to decrease the height.
the smaller ones rfce uersd; carefully enWrap
each one in a sheet. leaving only the eyes uncov-
ered but cOncealng the dress SO entirely that it is
even a matter OF conjecture whether it be man
or woman. When the wrapping has been arranged
each mummy must keep it in place by the hand.
and when all are ready the other divisions come
In and guess to whom the eyes belong. 1t gives
one very uncanny feeling to have a pair
OF questioning eyes peerng into ones own,
and the disguise IS SO complete those that
are nearest and dearest are not often
recognized When all have had guess throw OF
the sheets and let the other divisions change
places until all have been alternately guessed and
This game may be varied by stretch
Ing heavy paper, In which groups OF eye Sits have
been cut across an open doorway. For econOmy's
sake we pasted together the large almost perfect
sheets that dry goods come wrapped In, and which
the merchants willingly gave us; have it entirely
dark behind the paper, and throw all the light
possible on the eyes that I'LL these Sits in The
pa per.
-Four OF the twenty-five cent boxes OF letters
one our own, the others borrowed, proved fascina-
ting enough to occupy not only one entire even
no brf Va tytO Lad